Interviews
Scott O'Donoghue
Little Birdy

Q. Little Birdy are a very new band but has created so
much interest and talk in Perth.  Do you believe such a
quick rise to popularity is a good thing or would you
have preferred to be unknown for a while longer?

I believe it is a good thing, if a band are ready for it.  We
make music that we enjoy, and want other people to enjoy
it as well.  Most of us in the band have played in other
bands around Perth for the last 7 or so years, and enjoy
making music together.

Q.  With Relapse being the band's first single, would you say the writing and recording process has been an interesting experience?  Have you got an album set for the near future or will there be an EP or two first?

Yes it was an interesting experience for the band.  There is so much more that you can bring to a song when you record it than when you play it live.  Joel, Andy and Rodney from Debaser studios did a great job with the recording, and were such good fun to work with, and we are all looking forward to recording again as soon as possible.

The EP will be out in early October, however, We are not sure what we are going to do next.  The whole idea of doing an Album appeals to us, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's the road we take. We have just spent 4 days recording some new demos.

Q. What is the songwriting process for the band?  As lead singer does Katy write all the songs or is it a collective product?  Do you write the lyrics and music together or one first and then the other?

Katy usually writes the chords and melody, and then brings them into rehearsal.  Simon has written a couple of songs as well.  We basically play the song and we all figure out different parts, and then spend months arranging to parts.  We have often pulled songs apart and pretty much started again if we weren't happy with all the parts and how the music fitted together.  Katy has written all the lyrics for the current songs I think, and I am pretty sure she usually writes them as the start.

Q.  Has it been an issue that a lot of people mention the fact that that Katy is Luke Steele's sister before anything when talking about the band?  I believe your music speaks for itself but do you think you can ever get away from that label.

I don't think it has been an issue.  People mention it because they are brother and sister, and I don't think there is any negative aspect to draw from that.  The music and songs are different for each band, and everything that each band does is independent of each other............so I think we should be able to have our music speak for ourselves.

Q.  Is there plans for another Eastern States tour?  Have audiences that go to see you feel different or expect something different than audiences back in Perth?

Yes, we are back over there on the 26th of August for shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.  I don't think that audiences feel different over there.  We have only been there once before and all the shows were well received.

Q. When playing live shows, is it important to make every show a spectacle or does it just happen naturally.  Do you feed off the crowds reaction or do you try to create a reaction?

It just happens naturally?  I dunno we just play our music, and we all enjoy being on stage and having fun.  Some gigs are hard to play for some reason or another, but I think you still need to have fun.  It is good if you feel like you are having a shite gig, and you end up winning the crowd over.  But, if a crowd is going nuts and loving the music, it makes it a little easier to have fun I guess.

Q. There is a lot of interest in Perth bands and Perth music at the moment, do you think there is a particular Perth sound and is it very different from bands from the Eastern States?

No. I don't think that there is any one sound of Perth bands.  How can there be? There are so many different styles of music.  I think there are a lot more good bands per capita in Perth than there is in Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne.

Q.  The Perth music scene seems to have a very tight knit community. Do you
think that is why the bands coming from Perth at the moment are all so good?

Yes it is very tight knit.  It might be, as a lot of people have side projects going on, which means that people play with more people, and better music is made.

Q. What bands have had the greatest influence on you and who are your favourite bands at the moment both from Perth and from elsewhere?

We all have influences from different bands......i suppose the one common ground we find is the beatles.  Favourite bands at the moment is Perth would be Fourth Floor Collapse and End of Fashion.......elsewhere in the world, I have been getting into Wilko lately which is awesome.

Q. What is your favourite live music venue in Perth?  Do you prefer small pub shows with a small audience or bigger festival shows with lots of people cheering you on?

Probably the Amplifier or the Rosemount Hotel.  Ummmm, personally I prefer bigger festival shows with more people, but that's me.

Interview by Justin

For more information visit Little Birdy's official site.